1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collector dolly operable by a child for efficiently collecting and sorting recyclable materials such as newspapers, aluminum materials and glass/plastic containers in separate bins.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many communities now require recycling of newspapers, glass, aluminum, and plastic containers. Those public-spirited people who conscientiously collect these recyclable materials in their neighborhood must resort to the use of heavy rudimentary collection containers lacking separate compartments for collecting such materials.
A number of patents have been issued that address the collection of recycling materials. These patents will be discussed in the order of their perceived relevance to the claimed invention
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,841 issued on Apr. 19, 1994 to Armand G. Mezey and U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,218 issued on September to John C. Irwin, Sr., bulky waste collection systems consisting of a wheeled and handled container to receive various recyclable materials in internal compartments are disclosed. The compartmentalized containers are designed to cooperate with a route collection vehicle to enable mechanized loading and emptying of the container by the vehicle. There is no suggestion of a smaller wheeled container that even a child can operate and unload newspapers stacked by the convenience of a slot as in the present recycle collector dolly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,000 issued on Apr. 28, 1992 to Mark S. Stoll et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,744 issued on Feb. 9, 1993 to James H. Paulison, caddy or add-on containers for hanging on a wastebasket for collection of recyclable paper or trash are disclosed. There are no provisions for a handle, wheels and an adequate area and a slot enabling the neat piling and picking up of the newspapers for bundling.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,958 issued on May 12, 1992 to Carol A. Witthoeft and U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,543 issued on Jul. 14, 1992, a household compartmentalized refuse collection container is disclosed which contains several rigid receptacles and in Witthoeft even a space for a plastic bag. Again, there are no handles, wheels and a newspaper stacking unit.
In U.K. Patent Application No. 2,248,381 A published on Aug. 4, 1992 for Michael Kelly et al., a household waste container for storing recyclable materials having four compartments with a handle and wheels is disclosed. Kelly et al. also disclose a stopper on the bottom and in front of their wheeled container. However, there is no provision for neat stacking and retrieval of the newspapers collected in these disclosures.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,268 issued on Feb. 8, 1994 to Norman Marsan et al. and U.K. Patent Application No. 2,252,898 A published on Aug. 26, 1992 for Paul Pelowski et al., compartmentalized recyclable waste containers having removable containers are disclosed. Provision for stacking of newspapers is neither suggested nor taught.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.